Photo by PhilRice
MANILA, PHILIPPINES [TAC] – The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) paid tribute to the 21-year-old Filipino tennis trailblazer Alex Eala with a giant rice-paddy artwork at its campus in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.
The artwork, created by PhilRice’s Community Relations Office, will take clearer shape in October as the rice plants change color, turning the field into a giant tribute to the country’s newest sports icon.
Eala has become a unifying figure for Filipinos at home and abroad, reaching a career-high world ranking of No. 18 in less than two years on the Women’s Tennis Association tour.
She skipped the China Open, a WTA 1000 event, to represent the Philippines at this year’s Asian Games, a decision that could cost her ranking points and a fine.
PhilRice has previously featured sports icons Manny Pacquiao and Hidilyn Diaz in its rice-paddy art. Now Eala has her own patch of Nueva Ecija, where her likeness will grow greener, turn golden, and eventually bow to the harvest.